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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 15 Jun 1999

Vol. 506 No. 2

Written Answers. - Alzheimer's Disease.

Richard Bruton

Ceist:

277 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of day and residential centres available for the care of Alzheimer's patients on Dublin's northside; and the plans, if any, he has to tackle the shortfall. [15184/99]

The provision of services for Alzheimer's patients in Dublin's northside is a matter in the first instance for the Eastern Health Board. I understand from the Eastern Health Board that there are two day centres on the north side which specially cater for those suffering from Alzheimer's – St. Gabriel's, Edenmore, and Sybil Hill, Raheny, both of which are funded or part-funded by the health board.

In community care areas 6 and 7, the department of psychiatry of old age offers a range of services for patients who develop a functional mental illness and Alzheimer's after age 65 while the general psychiatric service caters for patients under 65 with a functional illness and Alzheimer's. In excess of 100 beds are available to the psychiatry of old age services and there is also access to a limited number of contract private nursing home places. There is also access to psychiatric beds to patients under 65 with a mental illness and Alzheimer's through their catchment area service.

There is no dedicated old age psychiatry service in catchment area 8. The general psychiatric service based at St. Ita's Hospital offers a range of acute and residential places to patients suffering from a mental illness and Alzheimer's. patients over 65 with Alzheimer's who exhibit no behavioural disturbance are also catered for in the Eastern Health Board's hospitals and homes for older people in the northside.
The health board is conscious of the need to develop services for older persons and, in this regard, adopted a ten year action plan for services for older persons, including those with Alzheimer's, in June 1998. Included in this action plan was a recommendation to establish two further dedicated departments of psychiatry of old age in north Dublin and county. In addition, the board has a target of providing a number of community units for older people in the northside of the city.
Later this year the board will produce a five year development plan for the mental health service which will include plans for the further development of services for patients under 65 with a mental illness and Alzheimer's. All service developments will be carried out in consultation with The Alzheimer's Society of Ireland.
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